July 2007 Volume 10 Number 3 - Educational Technology & Society

Computers and technology are still a source of fears and insecurity for many teachers everywhere in the world
despite the latest advances applicable to language teaching such as specialized websites, blogs, wikis, language
teaching methodology, journals, and so. Although many countries have done institutional efforts to modernize their
equipment, spent large amounts in technology, proved the positive effects of integrating computers in language
learning (Tsou, Wang & Tzeng, 2006) and so, many teachers still miss the appropriate interest, strong will to learn
and a challenging attitude towards teaching with computers. Most times the reasons are the lack of time for out-ofschool
training in combination with the natural difficulty in incorporating new working schemata within their own
classrooms. Besides, institutional organizations, district and national educational boards, and even publishers are
doing important institutional efforts to strengthen the presence and evolution of distance and online education. As a
consequence, computers should no longer be a little more than a way to typewrite (as they are sometimes today),
send messages and, when lucky, to browse out for information on the net (Johnson & Eisenberg, 2006). Therefore,
one major concern that is commonly shown by both teachers and education boards is how to motivate and instruct
teachers to integrate computers and ICT into their classes.
How to teach English with Technology, integrates theory and practice. In this sense, the authors intend to inform as
well a propose ways in which to incorporate teaching tips, ideas and classroom plans as well as provide activities for
self learning and evaluation. In fact, texts are usually followed by revision and critical thinking questions that try to
make the reader process and summarize what has been said in each chapter.
Chapter Summary
Chapter 1, Technology in the classroom, deal with the importance of including ICT in the language curriculum.
According to the authors ICT have intrinsic features that make its use a valuable source of input but, as mentioned
above, sometimes teachers may distrust technology or just be reluctant to include computer activities in their
classrooms.
Chapter 2, Word processors in the classroom, provides unique ideas for those teachers with limited expertise in
teaching with technology so they can begin progressively to incorporate computer activities with texts and pictures
but, in any case, in a productive and elaborate way.
Chapter 3, Using websites, is probably one of the most interesting chapters since the chapter gives information on
how to find information for classroom activities, it makes a difference between authentic and teacher created
materials, on the features to be evaluated when working with and distinguishing the best didactic websites, it also
provides ideas for classroom plans and, very important, tips for disadvantaged or advanced students. The chapter is
also attractive because it gives ideas for classes with different proficiency levels.
Chapter 4, Internet-based project work, addresses the issue of task based learning and cooperative language
learning, two of the most significant issues in the last twenty years in language teaching. The authors propose a scale
from the easier projects like information gather to simulations and webquests. Especially significant is the authorst
combination of constructivist and behaviourist ideas and function of webquests in language learning (p. 56).
Communication asynchronous and synchronous are especially studied in chapters 5 and 6, How to use email and
How to use chat. These two chapters have attracted a huge number of researchers in the last few years that have been
able to see their importance in cross cultural communication and intercultural competence. Thus, the first and foreign
language teachers may want to read the chapters with especial attention. These chapters include features such as
proposals for keypal projects, or the educational use of chat rooms (either written or oral), chat lessons, and, overall,
follow up activities for both types of communication activities.
Chapter 7, blogs, wikis and podcasts, deals with social software in which a variety of social actants have the
opportunity to include their own contents. Among these, podcasts are significant for the language teachers because
teachers find difficult to find resources for pronunciation with a variety of accents and registers to be used in the
classes. Wikis and blogs incorporate a wide variety of audiovisual items that are worth incorporating in the foreign
language classroom.
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